My company currently runs a 1998 65' Snorkel Tele-Squrt and in the next few years we are going to need to replace the unit. I was wondering if anyone has had any first hand experience with the Rosenbauer Roadrunner, KME Firestix, Pierce SkyBoom, or a recently manufactured Tele-Squrt device. We are pretty set on a water tower as opposed to a Squrt, Snozzle, Boomer, etc. Prior to the 1998 we had a 1976 50' Tele-Squrt. We have had great success with the Tele-Squrt devices over the past years as it perfectly suits our towns needs (and as a bonus serves our neighbors as well). Any input or information is greatly appreciated.

09-25-2012, 01:06 AM

MemphisE34a

TeleSqurt

An even bigger joke than the Quint concept.

09-25-2012, 09:26 AM

EastKyFF

Quote:

Originally Posted by MemphisE34a

An even bigger joke than the Quint concept.

The total quint thing was stupid, but what's your beef with a Telesqurt? It provided a lot of years of cost-effective service in a lot of smaller communities that didn't need platforms or 100' sticks.

09-25-2012, 09:35 AM

Bones42

We had an E-One 50' Teleboom for 20 years. Did everything we ever wanted/needed it to...and then some more. Was a very good apparatus for our needs.

It's first 15 years were to "make up" for what our 75' Snorkle could not do.

09-25-2012, 12:04 PM

LaFireEducator

Quote:

Originally Posted by MemphisE34a

An even bigger joke than the Quint concept.

Tell that to New Orleans as they run several articulating Squirts and find them quite useful.

Doers Philly still run Squirts?

09-25-2012, 02:17 PM

BoxAlarm187

Quote:

Originally Posted by LaFireEducator

Tell that to New Orleans...

Or Syracuse, who, until 2 years ago, purchased nothing but Squrt-equipped engines.

As for the OP's question, you might check with Virginia Beach, VA - they'll be sending some of their older Squrt booms to Pierce to have them remanufactured and mounted to new engines that they'll be purchasing.

09-25-2012, 08:15 PM

FWDbuff

Quote:

Originally Posted by LaFireEducator

Doers Philly still run Squirts?

Yes, Philly still runs articulated squrts- of the approx 55 engine companies, 5 or 6 of them are squrts. They have also recently taken delivery of 2 of those brand new KME tele-squrt type things. I dont know about Memphis but many an extra-alarm fire in Philly in the warehouse/garment district were waged with the squrts all in play, along with the tower ladders and snorkels. Most chiefs "back in the day" if they knew they were going to be all night, would tell the radio room "make sure there are two squrts and 2 snorkels on the third alarm" or whatever.

09-25-2012, 08:29 PM

MVFDWA

One of the nice items on the Pierce SkyBoom is everything is run "inside" the boom, no exposed waterways, wiring, etc.

09-25-2012, 09:48 PM

MemphisE34a

A couple of things:

I was envisioning the straight, boom type of Squrt with the flimsy ladder on top, not the smaller articulating models used solely as an elevated master stream. In that regard, I suppose if all your looking for is an elevated master stream, they are effective.

Models I have seen, end up being purchased as a dual role apparatus with certainly not enough ladder and seriously hampering engine operations. For the price, a 75' or 100' truck would have been a better investment.

It also seems as if companies with elevated master streams feel overly compelled to use them, just because it is there.

EDIT - after some deliberating, aren't the smaller, articulating booms used solely as elevated master streams actually called a "Snozzle" or something similar.

EDIT - after some deliberating, aren't the smaller, articulating booms used solely as elevated master streams actually called a "Snozzle" or something similar.

Negative. 54' Articulated ("snorkel") squrts have always been referred to as just "squrts." The snozzle you posted is not an articulated squrt- it is a snozzle, which is a different brand name for a telescoping-type aerial master stream boom.

Negative. 54' Articulated ("snorkel") squrts have always been referred to as just "squrts." The snozzle you posted is not an articulated squrt- it is a snozzle, which is a different brand name for a telescoping-type aerial master stream boom.

New Orleans also refers to them as "Squirts" as well.

Just for the heck of it I looked at thier apparatus role last night. They currently have 7 "Squirts" out of about 28 engine companies.

09-26-2012, 12:48 PM

LaFireEducator

Quote:

Originally Posted by MemphisE34a

A couple of things:

I was envisioning the straight, boom type of Squrt with the flimsy ladder on top, not the smaller articulating models used solely as an elevated master stream. In that regard, I suppose if all your looking for is an elevated master stream, they are effective.

Models I have seen, end up being purchased as a dual role apparatus with certainly not enough ladder and seriously hampering engine operations. For the price, a 75' or 100' truck would have been a better investment.

It also seems as if companies with elevated master streams feel overly compelled to use them, just because it is there.

EDIT - after some deliberating, aren't the smaller, articulating booms used solely as elevated master streams actually called a "Snozzle" or something similar.

Disagree.

For a department that may only require access above the reach of their ground ladders once or twice a year, a ladder truck is generally an impractical investment, as compared to an engine with a tele-squirt. While certainly not a true ladder, it gives a department that occasionally uses it as a ladder and ladder on a far more practical platform that can be used in many other fire supression roles.

09-26-2012, 01:37 PM

Bones42

and many places where there are overhead wires and trees....a smaller ladder can fit in places the 100' monsters can't. been there, done that.

09-26-2012, 04:23 PM

RFDACM02

Quote:

Originally Posted by LaFireEducator

Disagree.

For a department that may only require access above the reach of their ground ladders once or twice a year, a ladder truck is generally an impractical investment, as compared to an engine with a tele-squirt. While certainly not a true ladder, it gives a department that occasionally uses it as a ladder and ladder on a far more practical platform that can be used in many other fire supression roles.

I know I'm gonna regret this but...Why not a 75' Taint, allowing for a taller MS, a far better aerial ladder to climb and work from and even better ISO credit?

09-26-2012, 05:02 PM

LaFireEducator

Quote:

Originally Posted by RFDACM02

I know I'm gonna regret this but...Why not a 75' Taint, allowing for a taller MS, a far better aerial ladder to climb and work from and even better ISO credit?

Also a higher initial purchase price.

There are probably hundreds of smaller departmnents that may need an aerial once a year, and the tele-squirt gives them some, and admittadly, limited aerial capabilities for that once a year event at a comparably lower cost than the purchase of a full-blown 75' quint.

I know of several communites that own tele-squirts that may use the aerial once every year or two that have no issues with the capabilities of the tele-squirt.